Improvement in harvesters



J. H. ELWARD.

HARVESTER.

N0.113,990. Patented Apr. 25, 1871.

Witnesses.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELWARD, OF POLO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,990, dated April 25, 187i.

To all about it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ELWARD, of P010, county of Ogle, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvewhich- Figure 1. is a perspective view of a harvest ing-machine embracing my im n'ovcments, and Fl 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the main frame at the inner side of the drivingwheel.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both figures.

lily invention consists, first, in a novel construction and arrangement of thebinders platform and binders seat or support, the former being suspended by pendent parallel links from overhanging bars or supports, in such manner as to permit its adjustment in height, and the latter being made adjustable to varying positions for adapting them more perfectly to the character of the work, and to permit the binders to-assume such positions relative to the work to be accomplished as OXIlOl'lGllCC or convenience may dictate. The invention consists, second, in a novel arrangement for supporting the drivewheel, whereby the machine is thrown out of gear when backed, and into gear when. drawn forward, without the aid of the backing ratchots or clutches ordinarily employed for that purpose.

Toenablc others to construct and use my improvements, I will vproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings, inwhich A represents the frame of the machine; B the main ground-w eel, and B the driving spur-wheel secured thereto. 'lhe manner of mounting the drive-wheel in the frame is as follows: A A are longitudinal bars of the main frame, between which the driving-wheel is placed, and the adjacent sides of which have secured to them metal bearing-plates C, provided with parallel flanges c c, curved in the are of a circle, of which the pinion-shaft l) is the center, said flanges extending above and below the frame-bars A and plates 0 to any extent desired, to provide for the necessary vertical adjustment of the frame and cut ting apparatus, to adapt the machine to both reaping and mowing. E is the drive-wheel axle, the ends of which are squared or flattened, and extend within the grooves formed by the curved flanges c, and are perforated to receive pins 0 passing through said ends and through the flanges c, which are also perforated, as shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of holding the axle at the required point of adjustment. The squared ends of the axle are of less width than the grooves or space between the flanges c c, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit a horizontal vib 'ation of the axle for the purpose of throwing the machine into and out of gear, as fol lows, viz: \\'hen the machine is drawn forward by means of the tongue A attached to he main frame, the traction of the wheel forces the axle backward until the ends rest against the rear flanges c, at which time the spur-gear B will be in mesh with and will cause the rotation of the pinion b as long as the forward movement of the machine continues. W' hen, however, the machineis backed, the resistance of the drive-wheel forces the axle forward, or the frame and pinion-shaft backward, until the ends of the axle rest against the forward segn'ient-flanges 0, when the pinion I), together with the several mechanisms operated by it, is thrown out of gear. The pinion-shaft l.) is provided with a bevelwheel or disk, D, on the vertical side or face of which are a series (two or more) of concentric rings of cogs or teeth, with either of which a sliding pinion, on a driving or crank-shaft,

D may be made to engage, and by means of which the speed of the cutters may be varied to adapt the machine to reaping or mowing, as required. The frame A is armed with a series of rollers, a a a to accommodate the endless horizontal and inclined aoron or aprons which carry the g *ain to the binders, the last named of said rollers, viz., a being mounted in uprights 1? of the frame A, in a position above and outside of the drive-wheel B. F are additional uprights attached to frame A, at ornea-r the inner end of the cuttingapparatus or grain-platform; andnear the upper ends of these uprights 1* F are two horizontal transverse bars, G, one in frontand the other in rear of the drive-wheel, the outer ends of which bars extend some distance beyond the main frame, overhanging the same on the stubble side, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

ill ii are pendentparallel links or rods, pivoted at their upper ends to the overhanging bars 6, (two to each,) andl is the platform suspended on links ll by a pivotal connection at each of its four corners. By this arrangement the platform may be swung inward toward the frame, and lowered by swin ing in the arc of a circle, or outward and upward, as may be required to suit the height or convenience of the binders. Any suitable device may be employed for setting the platform, or it may be allowed to swing freely on links H, as desired; The bars G are perioratcd vertically at their overhanging"ends to permit the adjustment of longitudinz'il bars G, constitutii'lg supports for the binders, as explained in .latent No. 10;,290, issued June 1'1, 1870; and the attachments of said bars G to uprights FF are made by a single bolt, f, in each, so that by removing the-bolts from uprights F the bars G, together with the links 11 and platform 1., may be folded up into'a vertical or nearly vertical position for transportation, or i'orpassing through gates. The bars G maybe made of any suitable material, but I prefer, ordinarily, that they shall be slightly flexible or elastic, to give greater ease to the operator on the platlorm. The plattiorm is perforated, as shown in Fig. 1, to receive binders seats J, either additional to the bars G, or as a'substitutc therefor. These seats J are mounted on standardsj, and in addition to the seat part J' are provided with a. fork, J, or table upon which the grain may be bound after removing it from the receptacle K, where it is deposited by the dischargingapron. The standard j is perforated at yarions heights to receive pins or stirrupsj to ac commodatc the foot or limb of the operator.

The object of. this last-described construction of support for the binder is to provide for the want felt by many of our farmers who suffered loss of limb during the war, and who are unable to do the work of binding by rea son only of their inability to stand or ride upon the machine, as heretofore constructed.

The construction herein described affords a seat, J, a table, J, and a support or stirrup, j, in which to rest the disabled limb, thereby enabling the class of persons referred to to do the work equaliy well with those upon whom the farmingcommunity have hcretofolebeen entirely dependent.-.

Parts of the machine not specifically referred to may be constructed in any usual manner.

, Having now described my improvements, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. The suspended binders platform I, in combination with the transverse overhanging bars G G, coimccted with the main frame in such manner as to permit their being readily folded thereon, substantially'as and for the purpose set forth.

2. he movable binders seat J, provided with. the fork J and stirrupj. in combination with the binders stand or platform, as dcscribed.

3. Thea-x1e E, adapted to slide on pins 0, in combination with the curved flanges or segments 0, whereby the machine is thrown into and outof gear without the aid of backing ratchets or clutches, as described.

in testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and name, and ai'fix my seal in the presence oft-we subscribing witnesses, this 6th day of September, A. D. 1870.

JOHN H. ELWARD. [L. s]

W'itnesses:

H. 0. BROWN, C. H. WALDEN, 

